Minority Ethnic Matters Overview Contents Immigration
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9 September 2013 ISSUE 363 Minority Ethnic Matters Overview MEMO is produced by the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities in partnership with BEMIS - empowering Scotland's ethnic and cultural Supported by minority communities. It provides an overview of information of interest to minority ethnic communities in Scotland, including parliamentary activity at Holyrood and Westminster, new publications, consultations, forthcoming conferences and news reports. Contents Immigration and Asylum Other News Race Relations Bills in Progress Equality Consultations Racism and Religious Hatred Job Opportunities Other Holyrood Events/Conferences/Training Other Westminster Useful Links Note that some weblinks, particularly of newspaper articles, are only valid for a short period of time, usually around a month, and that the Scottish Parliament website has recently been redesigned, so that links published in previous issues of MEMO may no longer work. To find archive material on the Scottish Parliament website, copy the details from MEMO into the search facility at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/help/searchadvanced.aspx. Please send information for inclusion in MEMO to [email protected] and requests to be added to circulation to [email protected] Immigration and Asylum Holyrood Parliamentary Questions Human Trafficking Roderick Campbell: To ask the Scottish Government what the outcome was of the meeting of the anti-trafficking progress group of 18 July 2013. meeting of the anti- trafficking progress group of 18 July 2013. meeting of the anti-trafficking progress group of 18 July 2013. (S4W-16545) Reply from Kenny MacAskill: The anti-trafficking progress group was established to take forward the eleven actions agreed at the summit held on 18 October 2012. The meeting on 18 July 2013 was to gauge progress made to date and the outcome of the group’s discussions can be viewed on the Scottish Government website via: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/crimes/humantraffick/humantraffick1 http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx?SearchType=Adva nce&ReferenceNumbers=S4W-16545&ResultsPerPage=10 1 Immigration and Asylum Holyrood Parliamentary Questions (continued) Roderick Campbell: To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to hold a further trafficking in human beings summit, and, if so, when. (S4W-16546) Reply from Kenny MacAskill: Following the summit on 18 October 2012 I stated my intention to hold a reconvened summit in early summer 2014. The specific date will be confirmed in due course. http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx?SearchType=Adva nce&ReferenceNumbers=S4W-16546&ResultsPerPage=10 Roderick Campbell: To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to raise public awareness of human trafficking. (S4W-16547) Reply from Kenny MacAskill: The Human Trafficking Summit hosted by Scottish Ministers on 18 October 2012, identified a range of actions, including the need to improve training and awareness of human trafficking and the signs of potential trafficking amongst public agencies, businesses and the wider public. The Anti-Trafficking Progress Group has been established involving relevant organisations and agencies to take forward the actions from the summit. As part of this work, a new information leaflet entitled Human Trafficking – Reading the Signs, was launched as an awareness-raising initiative on 29 July 2013. The leaflet, which will be distributed throughout businesses and the community, was designed by Police Scotland with input from the Scottish Government and other delivery partners. The launch of this leaflet endorsed the partnership approach we are taking to tackle human trafficking and is proof that we are making significant inroads towards helping to disrupt and stop those individuals who use human beings for profit. The leaflet can be accessed on the Scottish Government’s website via: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/crimes/humantraffick/humantraffickleaf http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx?SearchType=Adva nce&ReferenceNumbers=S4W-16547&ResultsPerPage=10 Holyrood Parliamentary Motions S4M-07552 James Dornan: Condemning the Home Office’s Go Home Poster Pilot— That the Parliament strongly condemns the actions of the Home Office in, it considers, trying to intimidate and harass asylum seekers, many of whom have fled their homeland in terror, into going back to their home country; understands that its Brand Street office in Glasgow is part of a pilot scheme in which leaflets and posters with slogans such as "Go Home” are plastered across a room where asylum seekers have to wait to sign on and from which the public is barred; further understands that there is even a poster of an aeroplane with the message "The plane can take you home. We can book the tickets" and another showing a person sleeping on the streets with the message "Is life here hard? Going home is simple"; deplores what it considers this attempt to instil fear and intimidate some of the most vulnerable people in society; urges the UK Border Agency to immediately cease what it considers this abhorrent pilot scheme, which is also taking place in Hounslow, London, and believes that Scotland should have a humane asylum system that recognises the inherent worth of all human beings, regardless of where they used to call home, and supports them in making a life here in Scotland. http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx?SearchType=Adva nce&ReferenceNumbers=S4M-07552&ResultsPerPage=10 2 Immigration and Asylum Holyrood Parliamentary Motions (continued) S4M-07587 Jackie Baillie: Condemning the Home Office’s Go Home Campaign— That the Parliament strongly condemns the Home Office’s Go Home van and poster campaign; is pleased that the Advertising Standards Agency is investigating this campaign; does not believe that fear and intimidation is ever an appropriate way of addressing illegal migration; urges the UK Border Agency to immediately cease what it considers this offensive and discriminatory pilot scheme, and believes that, rather than being subjected to intimidation and discrimination, asylum seekers should be supported through the refugee application process and that the UK’s asylum system should always recognise the inherent worth of all human beings, regardless of where they used to call home. http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx?SearchType =Advance&ReferenceNumbers=S4M-07587&ResultsPerPage=10 Westminster Debate Immigration (Detention of Pregnant Women) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm130905/debtext/13090 5-0004.htm#13090545000001 Westminster Ministerial Statement Immigration Rules The Minister for Immigration (Mark Harper): My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is today laying before the House a statement of changes in immigration rules as set out below. I will expand the process of genuineness assessments and interviews to tier 1 (general), tier 2 (minister of religion), and tier 5 (temporary worker) applications for entry and leave to remain, and to tier 4 students applying for further leave to remain. I will also be replicating for tier 4 in-country extensions the existing power to refuse applications where the applicant cannot speak English. We will add Barbados to the list of countries whose nationals benefit from different documentary requirements and are exempt from the genuineness test when applying for a tier 4 visa. I am making several small changes to economic routes to make them more attractive and more flexible for businesses. These changes include new provision in tier 1 for artists of exceptional promise, removing the English language requirement for intra-company transferees, making it easier for graduate entrepreneurs to switch into tier 2, and waiving share-ownership restrictions for senior staff earning £152,100 or more. I will also be introducing flexibility for tourists and business visitors to undertake some study where it is incidental to the main purpose of their visit, as well as increasing the permissible activities a business visitor can undertake in the UK. I am retaining the student visitor route for those whose purpose in coming here is for short-term study. The prospective student route is being removed because it is little used and anomalous. I am adding Hong Kong to the list of participating countries and territories on the UK’s youth mobility scheme, further strengthening business, trade and cultural ties between us. I am introducing rules to give effect to the Secretary of State for Defence’s statement to this House of 4 June 2013, which provides for some locally engaged staff, who have been or will be made redundant as a result of our draw down, to relocate to the UK in recognition of the unique contribution they have provided to the UK’s efforts in Afghanistan. The new rules allow eligible applicants, their spouse/partner and their minor 3 Immigration and Asylum Westminster Ministerial Statement (continued) dependent children to be granted a period of five years’ leave to enter if their character and conduct is satisfactory. In line with the statement of intent “Knowledge of language and life in the UK for settlement and naturalisation” published on 8 April, I am also making changes to the way in which applicants for indefinite leave to remain are required to demonstrate their knowledge of the English language and of life in the UK, together with necessary consequential amendments. These changes will come into effect on 28 October. I am making changes to slow the path to settlement for refugees, and those granted humanitarian protection, who have committed crimes. Applications for settlement from refugees will be refused for 15 years from the date of their sentence if they have been sentenced to over 12 months’ imprisonment; for seven years if they have been sentenced to up to 12 months’ imprisonment; and for two years if they have been given a non-custodial sentence. Discretion to delay the route to settlement will apply in the case of repeat offenders. I am creating new temporary immigration rules to facilitate the entry and stay of certain Commonwealth games participants and personnel during the 2014 Commonwealth games.